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I LIKE THAT WAY
Saturday Feb. 21, 2015
Today, I’m sure, will bring more unexpectednesses. Stories to tell, of course. Most won’t be repeated, but will be remembered – extras, twists, courtesy of accidental things, moments of truth (see fabulous note from KK below) made my day. Make a week. Make a life.
Two flight journey – first to Kelowna sandwiched between sleeping teenage girl and cranky hulk-guy, switching planes, meeting extraordinary conversationalist on next leg, rental-car wandering Victoria happily lost several times, to hotel, collecting date (she is charming – plans touring me around interesting parts of Victoria today, including some art to show), then dinner. Incredible fantastic day. All week, without any thought anything was wrong or could go wrong.
What we choose, who we choose, why we choose – constant re-calculation – at some point, important to trust our gut. Or is it?
Life is fraught with many dangers.
Like ending.
Life is incredibly complicated, except it isn’t.
WE are complicated.
Conflicted in interpretation of our own motives – second guessing each moment to come, against the moment that just went …
Waking up?
Easy, everybody does it.
Nothing to it.
Waking up to our own reality is another matter.
We are empowered by our past, experiences, failures and failings – they are the jet propulsion that makes our blood flow. We are not shackled by these foibles, we are supported by them like grade beams holding up a foundation, like dreams supporting obsessions, air currents helping birds soar, laughter and smiles making awkward moments far less awkward.
Failure is failure – if we define it that way.
Success, alive in every moment of life, if we define it that way.
I like that way.
Mark Kolke
P.S. : I woke up in a magnificent place (many thanks MH for making the arrangements) atop the Coast Hotel in in Victoria. Memories of dinner at the Blue Crab … Alaska King crab legs were awesome, and the service was even more-so. The view of the harbour, cloud-shrouded mountains in Washington against a clear sky – no further west can we go and still wake up Canadian …
column written/ published from Victoria, BC
morning walk: 6G/43F, morning silence broken by gull-screech, morning darkness broken by sunshine pushing west across those mountains, across the BC interior, across the water to Vancouver Island, bathing Victoria in a glowing wake-up shining … I walked the Fisherman’s Wharf area of the inner harbour, boats, houseboats; many dogs walking their owners – Gusta would have had fun …
Reader feedback:
COAL APPLES
Thinking of you - It is late friday night and I am sitting at my computer, trying to write a motivational speech for my congregation on Sunday. It is hard; I thought of you. Your years of practice (preceded by much training and, no doubt, some failures along the way) allow you to (seemingly) flow the words onto the page. I think that many of us, as readers, have no real comprehension of how incredibly difficult it is to get it right (and then to get it writ). I salute your for the daily observations and inspirations you freely share with us. Anyway, the topic I have chosen is "Failing to Succeed" (focused not on the lack of success but rather the need to experience failure in order to succeed). You should come. If you have never been to a Mormon service, this should be an interesting one (not because I am speaking but because it is the "annual conference" of my little congregation). Susan will be sitting alone, because I will be up on the podium. Likely my children (and grandchildren) will be there as well, and I would be delighted to introduce them to you. Service starts at 1pm at 935 Heritage Dr SW; would love to see you there, KK, Calgary, AB
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